What Was Back Then and What Is Now?
by brittanatastic
Summary: Remus' journey and struggle as a developing boy infected with lycanthropy


**Author's Note** I hope this is okay, it's my first story entry on ff, hope you enjoy :) **

What Was Back Then and What Is Now?

"Just don't go wondering off Remus, okay?" his father patted him on the head with one arm around his wife's waist.

"Okay daddy!" A little mousy haired, scruffy-looking, but properly dressed, boy looked up at his father with a gleam.

The young man laughed and ruffled Remus' hair, "good lad! How do you think the Jenkins' will be this evening darling? More accommodating than last time?" They were on their way to another Ministry working family's dinner.

"Dear, we shouldn't speak like that about them, you know they send off their enchanted birds all through this forest," Mrs Lupin muttered under her breath.

"M'kay darling."

Remus trotted off towards an odd looking tree and smiled at it, running his fingertips along the curvatures of the wood, thinking about when he will own a wand of his own like his father. All of a sudden he couldn't hear his parents' footsteps on the rocky pathway anymore.

"Daddy? Mummy?" He stood bolt upright, he could hear something else moving, close to him, "dad!"

He could hear his father shout back and start sprinting back towards his son's voice, "I'm coming Remus! Try and follow my voice but stay on the path!"

Remus took one shaking step forward before he heard a twig snap behind him and he turned around frantically, swinging his arms. He could just see the silhouette of a very hairy man, he didn't smell very nice, Remus noted as he took a cautious step backwards. He smelt kind of like that white bag his father had run through the Ministry with when his mother took him there a few months ago.

"Hello?" Remus' little mind ticked over, he didn't understand what it was, other than a hairy man, then he spotted drool shining in the moonlight dribbling down his chin and onto his long coat. He looked hungry, by the state of his clothes probably starving, thought Remus. "Are you hungry? My family and I are going to the Jenkins' to have dinner, they might be able to help you get some food, they're very rich." Remus' body shook all over; he still couldn't see the man's face. Then the man stood in the moonlight and Remus realised he wasn't at all a man. He stumbled backwards over a root, traumatised by what he was seeing, how could there be this beast in the Jenkins' forest? He spotted something shiny slide from underneath its coat and he realised exactly what kind of beast it was, a werewolf.

Just as Remus was about to scream out again his father ran over.

"Get back! Stay away!" He gasped for air and pulled out his wand, pushing Remus behind him.

"Move, get out of the way," the creature growled, he seemed to be human-ish, but way out of control. His voice sounded hoarse and cold, like the creature's heart was made from cold stone.

"I'm not moving, you killed one of our aurors and I will not let you harm my son!" Mr Lupin stood taller than he ever had.

"Move," the creature said pointedly, it seemed more like a demand this time.

Mr Lupin stood his ground and looked down at his son worriedly, patting him on the head like he did before everyone was so scared and before his father had sweat pouring down his face. Remus looked back over at the werewolf just as it jumped, lashing out with its claws and with his father's screams, lights splashing across his eyelids and a warm feeling burning down Remus' face, he blacked out.

"He'll just be in shock Mrs Lupin, no need to worry about him, off you go before he wakes up." Remus' eyes opened a crack at the mention of his mother.

"Mummy!" He tried to sit up but straps were holding him down, "what's going on mum? Where's daddy?"

His mother pushed past the nurse and grabbed Remus' cold little hand, "daddy's in a different room sweetheart, we're at St. Mungo's," she pointed to a sticker on his bedside table. Why was he here thought Remus, and why was he strapped to the bed?

"Mum am I allowed to sit up?" He looked up at his mother with fear in his eyes; he had no idea why he was in St. Mungo's Hospital.

**will finish this chapter, sorry I'm not feeling so well today**


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